Corby firm’s world record attempt to get 250,000 selfies and turn them into art

Stephanie Weaver

People from around the world have been sending in their selfies to try and be part of a new world record for the largest collection of selfies online.

The World Selfie Project started as an idea by David Laird, founder of creative marketing company DGL Creative in Corby, for a global art project to remind people that it’s wrong to judge an individual on their race, religion or appearance.

Chris Kamara's selfie for the World Selfie Project

The aim of getting 250,000 selfies has evolved and now includes a bid to break two world records.

But even with so many people taking selfies every day, David and his team at DGL Creative had to find a way to spread the word and market the idea.

David said: “It sounds like an easy task but to get just 100 people to go to the effort of submitting their selfie proved to be quite an arduous task, this is where our #Don’tJudgeABook marketing campaign came into play which led to other controversial campaigns.

“Honestly, we exceeded all of our own expectations by getting celebrities involved such as Vernon Kay, Tom Kerridge, Shane Lynch, Tamzin Outhwaite, Chris Kamara, X Factor finalists, the Apprentice finalists, a host of Hollyoaks and Eastenders stars, Olympic gymnasts, Dan Keatings and Beth Tweddle plus many more including WWE stars over in the States and professional footballers from as far as South Africa.”

The project is now on course to smash two world records.

They have already got more than 50,000 selfies to beat the record for the largest online mosaic collection of selfies once they have been collated at the end of the project.

And they are hoping to achieve the world record for the largest collection of selfies online by gathering more than 104,000, although they ultimately want to smash this record by collecting 250,000 selfies.

Once all the selfies are gathered they will be put together to create a piece of art.

David said: “The end result will be pieced together like a jigsaw puzzle by a team of top artistic creatives to form one amazing and gigantic work of art that will depict a powerful message.

“People who took part in this fun and free-to-enter world record attempt will be able to locate exactly where their photograph, along with any that their family and friends have submitted, features within the final image.

“The unveiling of the finalised photographic collage will be kept top secret until later this year but the deadline to submit your selfie is February 29.

“Don’t miss out on this chance to feature in this epic World Record Breaking project and to feature in the final art piece.”

For more information about the project go to www.worldselfieproject.org.